UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden

What UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden does

The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is a public university department of the University of California, Davis, founded in 1936 to support teaching and research along the banks of Putah Creek in California's Central Valley. The organization operates as a unified land management entity formed by the 2011 merger of three campus units — the historic 100-plus-acre Arboretum, Grounds and Landscape Services, and the 640-acre Putah Creek Riparian Reserve — collectively stewarding 5,300-plus acres, 22,000 plants across 17 collections, and over 25,000 trees. Core programmatic offerings include the Arboretum All-Stars plant database (130 climate-ready plants), the Learning by Leading student internship program engaging nearly 100 interns per cycle, the Climate-Ready Gardening Toolkit, the one-acre Arboretum Teaching Nursery, facility rentals, and the multi-phase Arboretum Waterway flood protection and habitat enhancement project.

The organization generates revenue through a hybrid model combining UC Davis institutional funding, a tiered membership program administered by the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden (founded 1971), seasonal plant sales at the Teaching Nursery, individual donations and planned gifts, facility rentals for weddings and events, and competitive grants. Memberships range from $48 (Individual) to $1,200 (Redbud Circle) and provide reciprocal admission to 360+ botanical gardens via AHS and 1,300+ institutions via NARM. The customer base is highly distributed across UC Davis students and faculty, K-12 students, home gardeners, general public visitors (free admission), community members, and corporate sponsors, with no material revenue concentration in any single account or segment. The technology stack is domain-specialized rather than software-centric: curated plant databases, propagation and collection records for scientific research, and the Texas Tree Trials research database testing 45 species for regional climate adaptability.

Name

UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden

Legal name

The Regents of the University of California, Davis campus

Website

https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is a UC Davis university department managing 5,300+ acres of campus landscape, 22,000 plants in 17 collections, and 25,000+ trees through the historic Arboretum, Grounds and Landscape Services, and Putah Creek Riparian Reserve. It serves students, faculty, home gardeners, and the general public via climate-ready plant research, the Learning by Leading internship program, facility rentals, and a tiered membership program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Garden & Horticultural Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH), Native, Pollinator & Drought-Tolerant Garden Installations (HSAIAFAL), Seasonal Color & Flower Rotation (Spring/Fall Plantings) (HSAIAFAE), Garden Bed Installation & Planting (Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs) (HSAIAFAB)

Keywords

• Public garden management
• Horticultural education programs
• Plant conservation research
• Botanical landscape services
• Environmental stewardship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Davis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual memberships ranging from $48 (Individual/Student) to $1,200 (Redbud Circle) providing benefits including early access to plant sales, discounts, reciprocal admission to botanical gardens, and exclusive events. The Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, founded in 1971, manages membership.
2. Plant Sales: Seasonal plant sales at the Arboretum Teaching Nursery offering the same attractive, low-water, easy-care, regionally-appropriate plants found in the gardens. Members receive early entry and 10% discounts. Drives significant revenue while advancing the mission of distributing climate-appropriate plants.
3. Donations and Gifts: Tax-deductible gifts through the Friends organization, memorial gifts, endowment contributions, planned giving (estate plans), and special campaign donations. Contact: Christen Brunner, assistant director of development.
4. Facility Rentals: Rental income from venues including Carolee Shields White Flower Garden and Gazebo, Putah Creek Lodge (accommodates 100-200 people), and other special event spaces. Reservations handled through Conference and Event Services.
5. Outdoor Event Services: Grounds and Landscape Services provides event assistance to campus departments and student groups on a recharge basis including zero waste set-up, site preparation, stage/risers, BBQ rentals, and adjusted watering schedules.
6. Grants and Government Funding: University funding meets only a portion of needs. The organization raises significant budget from memberships and donor gifts. Phase two of Arboretum Waterway project funded by $5.4 million Urban Flood Protection grant from California Natural Resources Agency plus $2.5 million in UC Davis match.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is a public university department that manages 5,300+ acres of gardens, landscapes, and natural reserves at UC Davis. It operates as a living laboratory and outdoor museum, maintaining 22,000 plants in 17 scientific collections, providing student internships through Learning by Leading, selling climate-ready plants at the Teaching Nursery, offering facility rentals, and supporting research, education, and community engagement through horticultural programs and a membership program.

Product overview

UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden operates as a unified public garden management organization spanning 5,300 acres, combining the historic 100-acre Arboretum with Grounds and Landscape Services and the 640-acre Putah Creek Riparian Reserve. The core offerings include the Arboretum All-Stars plant collection (130 climate-ready plants), the Learning by Leading student internship program, and the Climate-Ready Gardening Toolkit with Future Favorites plant recommendations. Additional offerings include the Arboretum Teaching Nursery for plant sales, facility rentals at venues like Putah Creek Lodge and the Gazebo, Nature Rx health programs, comprehensive Tree Resources with Texas Tree Trials, the multi-phase Arboretum Waterway flood protection project, and the Friends membership program with six benefit tiers. The organization functions as an outdoor museum and living laboratory supporting UC Davis academic expertise while providing public education and community engagement through sustainable horticulture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Learning by Leading: Student internship program providing leadership experience in environmental sustainability, restoration, and literacy through real-world projects in the Arboretum and Public Garden.
• Arboretum All-Stars
• GATEways Project

Products and services

• Arboretum All-Stars A collection of 130 climate-ready plants selected by UC Davis horticulturists for outstanding qualities including heat and drought tolerance, minimal maintenance requirements, and habitat value for pollinators and wildlife. Designed for Central Valley and similar Mediterranean climate gardeners seeking regionally appropriate plant selections.
• Learning by Leading Student Internship Program A student internship program offering quarter-long and school year-long internships in environmental sustainability, restoration, and literacy, where students gain leadership experience addressing real-world environmental problems in the Arboretum and Public Garden. Nearly 100 student interns participate per cohort.
• Climate-Ready Gardening Toolkit A comprehensive set of online resources and tools designed to help gardeners create beautiful, habitat-supporting landscapes that thrive in changing climate conditions, including planting plans, plant lists, and educational guides.
• Future Favorites - Climate-Ready Plants An evolving list of plants identified by UC Davis horticulturists as thriving in shifting climate conditions, including new additions that reflect observations about heat tolerance, changing rainfall patterns, and environmental challenges.
• Arboretum Teaching Nursery and Plant Sales A one-acre nursery offering seasonal plant sale fundraisers featuring attractive, low-water, easy-care, regionally-appropriate plants, including Arboretum All-Stars selections. Members receive early entry and 10% discounts.
• Facility Rentals Rental venues including Carolee Shields White Flower Garden and Gazebo, and Putah Creek Lodge (accommodates 100-200 people), available for weddings, receptions, parties, and special events, managed through UC Davis Conference and Event Services.
• Nature Rx Program A holistic health initiative prescribing nature engagement for physical, mental, and social well-being, providing resources for campus and community members to take advantage of outdoor environments.
• Tree Resources and Texas Tree Trials Database Comprehensive tree stewardship resources including tree benefits information, climate change adaptation strategies, Texas Tree Trials research database covering 45 tree species tested for climate adaptability in the Sacramento Valley, campus tree tours, and the Campus Tree Renewal Program.
• Arboretum Waterway Flood Protection and Habitat Enhancement Project A multi-phase flood protection and habitat enhancement project addressing stormwater management and ecological restoration along the Arboretum Waterway, including native plantings, recirculating pumps, shoreline stabilization, universally accessible walking paths, floodplain benches, and emergent marsh plantings.
• Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden Membership Program Annual membership program with six benefit levels (Individual $48, Family $72, Manzanita Circle $120, Valley Oak Circle $300, Sequoia Circle $600, Redbud Circle $1,200) offering early entry to plant sales, discounts at partner nurseries, reciprocal admission to 360+ botanical gardens and 1,300+ NARM museums, and exclusive events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 640 tons of carbon sequestered annually by maintained green inventory
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• California Center for Urban Horticulture (CCUH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on CCUH SmartLandscape internship program within Learning by Leading. Students approach landscape ecology from both humanistic and biological contexts with consideration for aesthetics, function, and ecological needs.
• California Department of Fish and GameminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner link for Putah Creek Riparian Reserve management and wildlife habitat protection.
• California Department of Water ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner link for Putah Creek Riparian Reserve management and water resource coordination.
• Lower Putah Creek Coordinating CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative management of Putah Creek resources across jurisdictional boundaries.
• Solano County and Yolo CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty partnerships for Putah Creek Riparian Reserve management and regional environmental coordination.
• Solano County Water AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional water management coordination for Putah Creek watershed.
• Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlood control and water conservation coordination for the region.
• Tree DaviscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Tree Davis and City of Davis to plant 1,000 new climate-ready trees through Community Canopy program. Collaboration on Russell Boulevard tree planting and urban forest stewardship.
• California Climate Action Corps (CCAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCAC is a Governor's initiative national service program led by California Volunteers, Office of the Governor and implemented by Bay Area Community Resources (BACR). Places fellows with public agencies and educational institutions for climate action projects focused on urban greening.
• Partner Nurseries and RetailersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDiscount programs with partner nurseries and retailers as membership benefit. Multiple discounts and special offers available to members.
• UC Davis Campus DepartmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with academic departments to create GATEway gardens that showcase disciplines including geology, animal science, Native American studies, and hummingbird health. Students collaborate on participatory learning experiences.
• American Horticultural Society (AHS)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal Admission Program providing free admission and discounts at over 360+ botanical gardens across North America for members.
• North American Reciprocal Membership (NARM)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal admission program providing access to over 1,300 museums, gardens, and arts/cultural/historical institutions for Manzanita Circle and above members.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Major urban botanical garden with comparable plant collections, educational programming, and event-rental revenue. Larger and more commercially established, providing a benchmark for monetization of a public-garden mission.
• New York Botanical Garden: Larger, established botanical garden with extensive research, education, and visitor programs. Comparable as a broader institutional peer with similar plant database, conservation, and event-revenue operations at significantly greater scale.
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Large-scale botanical institution with a strong plant database (Plant Finder), research programs, and reciprocal membership network. Comparable for digital-knowledge dissemination and national horticultural authority.

Direct peers

• San Diego Botanic Garden: California botanical garden operating plant collections, educational programs, and visitor facilities. Comparable as a regional California peer with similar plant-sale and event-rental revenue streams, though with a paid-admission model.
• Morton Arboretum: Tree-focused arboretum with research, climate-adaptation trials, and large plant collections. Strongly comparable given shared emphasis on tree trials, urban forestry, climate-adapted species, and educational programming.
• Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University: University-affiliated arboretum combining research, teaching, and public access with documented plant collections. Closely comparable operating model combining living laboratory, plant database, and educational programming at a public university.
• UC Berkeley Botanical Garden: University-affiliated botanical garden within the UC system operating a similar research, education, and public engagement model. Directly comparable as a peer UC garden with similar collections, internships, and reciprocal membership networks.
• UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and Botanic Garden: Another UC system botanical garden with comparable scale, plant collection focus, and educational programming. Strong peer given shared mission, membership structure, and reciprocal admission participation.
• UC Riverside Botanic Gardens: UC system botanical garden focused on Mediterranean-climate and drought-tolerant plants. Closely comparable given shared UC affiliation, California climate, and climate-adapted plant focus.

Emerging players

• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Native plant research and conservation organization that has collaborated with UC Davis on the Texas Tree Trials. Comparable for native/drought-tolerant plant curation, public education, and conservation-programmatic alignment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uc-davis-arboretum-and-public-garden

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden